Something Was Wrong

S24 Ep25: Case & Community Updates

December 18, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The team expressed immense gratitude for their community and the ability to continue their advocacy work despite acknowledging 2025 as a difficult and heavy year globally and professionally. 
  • The hosts provided updates on the successful 'Home for the Holidays' event in Sacramento, which benefited The Gathering Inn, and the LA event, which raised funds for Trans Doe Task Force and Tending the Garden. 
  • A significant portion of the episode was dedicated to updating listeners on the sentencing of Kaitlyn Braun (featured in *Something Was Wrong* Season 18), who received three years in prison for crimes committed while on house arrest for previous fraud and harassment charges. 

Segments

Team Gratitude and Holiday Updates
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(00:01:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The SWW team expressed deep gratitude for their work and team synergy heading into the holiday season, contrasting it with the difficulty of 2025.
  • Summary: Tiffany Reese, Amy B. Chessler, and Lauren Barkman opened the episode by sharing feelings of gratitude for their team and work. They acknowledged that 2025 has been a ‘wild, wild ride’ that was heavy and heartbreaking, necessitating space for positive glimmers. The team also shared lighthearted personal updates, including decorating for the holidays and watching television.
Home for the Holidays Event Recap
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(00:06:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The Sacramento ‘Home for the Holidays’ event successfully supported The Gathering Inn despite being organized independently during economic uncertainty.
  • Summary: The team recapped their recent independent event in Sacramento, held at the North Natomas Community Center, which benefited The Gathering Inn, an organization providing housing and trauma-informed services. Attendance was impacted by a concurrent government shutdown, but the event was deemed a success, featuring karaoke and allowing personal connections with supporters like listener Brittany. The event also raised awareness and funds for Trans Doe Task Force and Tending the Garden.
Political Reflection and Advocacy
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(00:22:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts asserted that political apathy is a privilege, as survivors’ lives and access to justice are directly dictated by the legal and political systems.
  • Summary: The team reflected on the difficulty of the current sociopolitical climate, citing wars, unrest, and political figures as exhausting factors. Tiffany Reese emphasized that for victims navigating the criminal justice system, politics are inseparable from their pursuit of justice, referencing how changes in California law affected her brother’s sentence. They concluded that grounding political positions in core principles is essential for navigating the current divisive environment.
Season 24 Troubled Teen Industry Focus
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(00:28:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Season 24 submissions were overwhelmingly from survivors of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), revealing the prevalence of abuse and the influence of media figures like Dr. Phil in promoting these programs.
  • Summary: The team highlighted the resilience of TTI survivors and the shocking prevalence of these programs, noting that almost all recent submissions concerned TTI abuse. They were surprised by the lack of oversight allowing these institutions to operate, often reopening under new names affiliated with the same parent companies. The influence of public figures in instilling trust in parents regarding these unverified programs was also identified as an eye-opening factor.
Kaitlyn Braun Case Update
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(00:39:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Kaitlyn Braun was sentenced to three years in prison after committing new crimes while serving a conditional sentence for defrauding Ontario doulas, confirming a high risk of reoffending.
  • Summary: Amy B. Chessler read an update on Kaitlyn Braun (featured in Season 18), who pled guilty to 21 charges in December 2024 for fraud and indecent acts related to false pregnancies. Despite an initial joint submission for house arrest, a judge later sentenced her to three years in prison after she committed new offenses while on house arrest. A psychiatric assessment diagnosed Braun with multiple disorders and concluded she posed a danger to the community, noting her behavior was not typical of factitious disorder.
What Came Next Show Update
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(00:47:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Amy B. Chessler’s show, What Came Next, reached 152 episodes, including a powerful interview with her brother’s ex-girlfriend, Jen Holman.
  • Summary: Amy B. Chessler shared that What Came Next released its 152nd episode, which featured Jen Holman, her brother’s ex-girlfriend, discussing her healing process 18 years after the murder of Tiffany’s mother. Amy learned new details about that night through the interview, which she felt prepared for due to her work on Something Was Wrong. The show also featured Kelly Sutliff, a survivor, advocate, and nonprofit owner, whose story was suggested by a listener.
Upcoming Season 25 Topic Preview
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(00:37:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Something Was Wrong Season 25 will investigate sexual violence and systemic betrayal within US colleges and universities, focusing on Title IX failures.
  • Summary: Season 25 will explore how institutions prioritize reputation and finances over student safety regarding sex-based discrimination. The season will examine the evolution and current failures of Title IX, detailing how survivors face institutional gaslighting and policies that shield perpetrators. It will also analyze the impact of the 2022 Supreme Court decision, Cummings versus Premier Rehab Keller, which limited survivors’ ability to seek emotional distress damages.